Viz gets busy; Okazu gets a new home

I talked to Kevin Hamric, director of publishing, marketing, and sales for Viz Media, about his company’s digital program and the logistics of simultaneous U.S./Japan publication of Shonen Jump. Lori Henderson responds by calling on Viz to offer digital manga on 10″ Android tablets.

Viz has been busy lately. Last week, they announced two new box sets, the full run of Bakuman (vols. 1-20 plus the mini-comic Otter #11 and a poster) and the first 23 volumes of One Piece. If you like your manga all in one place these are the products for you; both will be out next fall. Another fall release is an updated My Neighbor Totoro artbook and a new novel, marking the 25th anniversary of Hayao Miyazake’s film.